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GUJRANWALA: Thirty-five passengers were injured when four bogies of Jaffar Express derailed at Gate 19, near Attava, on Tuesday.

Reports said that as Jaffar Express left the Gujranwala station for Quetta, the driver tried to slow down the locomotive after hitting the rundown portion of the track.

An official of Rescue 1122 said that 35 passengers were injured, of which 31 recei­ved first aid on the spot and four had been admitted to the district headquarters hospital.

SSP Operations Muhammad Nadeem Khokhar said the Railways SHO had been direc­ted to provide security to the passengers and their luggage.

Reportedly, the railway track was repaired a day earlier and the train driver was perhaps unaware of it.

Our Staff Reporter in Lahore adds: A Pakistan Railways spokesperson in Lahore said that a relief train had brought passengers of Jaffar Express to Lahore. “We are making arrangements to send these passengers to Quetta,” he added.

Another senior officer said that the reasons of derailment could only be determined after a thorough inquiry by the federal government inspector of railways. “Preliminary reports suggest that the driver did not observe the speed limit in force on the track where repair work was under way,” said the officer while seeking anonymity.

From April 15, Jaffar Express became the only passenger train running across all the four provinces.